Toledo

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT TOLEDO - PAGE 4

The Sports Xchange NCAAF Team Report - Buffalo - INSIDE SLANT Here's the remedy Buffalo needs to break free from its unsightly five-game losing streak: A Toledo team on the verge of the top 25 after knocking off Cincinnati from the ranks of the unbeaten. And did we mention the Rockets are a seven-point loss away from being undefeated? The Bulls (1-6, 0-3 Mid-American Conference) certainly could have used an easier draw a week after losing to Pittsburgh, 20-6, and the Rockets are push overs.

This is regarding the recent Chicago Tribune article "Toledo's biggest star? Sure, Katie Holmes is `very nice'; But 'she's no Jamie Farr'" (Tempo, July 12). Well I must thank you for a wonderful story in the Chicago Tribune. Many of my friends saw it and sent me a copy. I am sorry I could not personally contribute to it. Had I talked to you I would have said that I admire Katie Holmes. She is a wonderful, beautiful actress. I am quite proud of her. She had a dream and, lo and behold, the dream became a reality.

Notre Dame basketball will be filling a coaching vacancy this off-season -- just not at its most high-profile slot. Irish assistant Gene Cross is slated to take over as Toledo's head coach, according to multiple Internet reports Thursday night. Cross, a Chicago native and Illinois graduate who joined the Irish staff in 2006, visited Toledo shortly after the Final Four earlier this week to interview for the position. An official announcement reportedly is expected Friday. Cross, 36, was a primary recruiter for the Irish and also coached at UIC from 1996-2002 and at DePaul from 2002-05.

Coach Dave Doeren would prefer focusing on the recent past when it comes to Northern Illinois facing Mid-American Conference rival Toledo. The Huskies and Rockets are 2-2 in their last four games. But history favors the Rockets. Toledo leads the overall series 29-9, and more ominously for NIU, Toledo has won 18 of the 20 games played between the two teams at the Glass Bowl, where Tuesday night's nationally televised game will take place. "Not just NIU, but a lot of teams have struggled on the road playing at the Glass Bowl," Doeren said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Chris Fields returned a punt 69 yards and Carlos Hyde ran for two more scores to lead No. 15 Ohio State past Toledo 27-22 Saturday, a win that was secure only after the Buckeyes held the Rockets' on their last drive. The Rockets (1-1) drove from their own 28 to the Ohio State 17 before backup quarterback Terrance Owens threw incomplete on fourth down while being pressured by John Simon. Ohio State (2-0) has not lost to another Ohio team since 1921. The Buckeyes are 43-0-1 since that 7-6 setback to Oberlin.

After enjoying a record-setting 63-60 victory over Mid-American Conference rival Toledo on Tuesday night, Northern Illinois officials announced a one-game suspension for freshman linebacker Jamaal Bass on Wednesday. Bass was involved in a pregame situation that brought the Huskies into contact with the Toledo marching band as NIU entered the field. "After reviewing the tape of last night's pregame encounter between our team and the University of Toledo's marching band, and discussing the situation with (NIU Director of Athletics)

DETROIT -- Northern Illinois enters the season with the longest winning streak in the nation among FBS schools, having won its last nine games. But they will be Mid-American Conference underdogs this season. Ohio is the preseason pick to win the 2012 MAC East Division, and ultimately the overall conference title. Toledo is the projected winner of the West Division. The poll results were announced at Tuesday's annual Football Media Day held at Ford Field. Northern Illinois, winners of the MAC Championship game and the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State last January, was picked second in the West Division in the poll behind Toledo by just four votes (87-83)

The Sports Xchange NCAAF Team Report - Northern Illinois - INSIDE SLANT The Game of the Season lost some luster after Toledo suffered a surprising 34-27 home loss to Ball State on Nov. 6. The game was being billed as a battle of undefeated teams in conference play, intent of shedding the label as a mid-major power. But the then-No. 23 Rockets, in their first appearance in the Top 25 since 2001, had their eight-game winning streak snapped by the Cardinals. However, the NIU-Toledo matchup, set for Nov. 14 on ESPN2 still carries a lot of significance for both teams.

The Sports Xchange NCAAF Team Report - Northern Illinois - INSIDE SLANT Northern Illinois didn't let its past demons against Toledo to resurface on Nov. 14. The Rockets had dominated the series, winning 29 of the previous 39 meetings before this year's battle, including several memorable -- at least for Toledo -- victories that spoiled strong seasons for the Huskies. But that wasn't the case this year, not even after the Huskies scored a season-low seven points in the first half against the Rockets.